Latch



Dec. 24, 1935. w SCHNELL 2,025,311

LATCH Filed Oct. 2'7, 1932 INVENTOR ATT EYS.

WILL IHM Sewn/EL L.

Patented Dec. 24, 1 935 UNITE TES ATEN'E LATCH Application October 27, 1932, Serial No. 639,858

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a latch and more particularly to that type of latch which is adapted for mounting upon the face of the door.

In this type of latch, which is adapted for mounting upon the outer face of the door where it is clearly exposed to view, it is highly desirable that the latch should be beautiful and pleasing to the eye in addition to the useful mechanical function which the latch fulfills. Due to this situation the attainment of the asthetically satisfactory ornamental design is impaired by the attainment of mechanical usefulness. Heretcfore this has been particularly true in the securing of this type of latch to the outer face of the door because portions of the attaching means whether screws, rivets, bolts, etc, have been exposed to view thus asthetically clashing with the ornamental design of the latch and seriously impairing the asthetic end sought to be achieved by the designing artist. This is especially true in the field of refrigerator latches wherein the exposed screw heads not only seriously detract from the beauty of the ornamental design of the latch but in addition seem entirely out of place and ex posed to the general asthetic design of the entire refrigerator.

Hence, it is an object of this invention to eliminate the clash between the ornamental design of the latch and the means for attaching the same to the face of'the door. This has been achieved by so constructing the latch that the attaching means are entirely concealed from view thus leaving the ornamental design of the latch free from aesthetic impairment.

More particularly the invention contemplates the production of a latch having a composite casing, the inner casing serving thenecessary mechanical function and receiving the attaching means, and the outer casing cooperating with the inner case to conceal the inner casing and the attaching means.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a latch having an inner casing and an outer casing, the outer casing of which has a snapon engagement with the inner casing.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a refrigerator latch having an inner casing for attachment to an outer face of the door and an outer ornamental casing having interiorly carried attaching means for attaching the outer casing to the inner casing with the attaching means entirely concealed from view.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled latch.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section showing the outer casing being assembled to the inner casing.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section showing the outer casing assembled to the inner casing.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the assembled latch.

Figure 6 is a section along the line 66 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the 10 latch comprises an outer casing l and an inner casing 2. The inner casing 2 has mounted therein the spring projected reciprocating bolt 3 and is provided with a pair of upstanding ears t which pivotally support the handle ii. The handle 5 is provided with the rollback portion 6 which engages with the bolt 3 for retracting the same when the handle 5 is actuated. The inner casing '2 is provided with the perforated projections l and tail piece 8. Any suitable attaching means such as the screws 9 may be passed through the openings in the projections 'l and tail piece 8 to secure the inner casing to the outer face of the door ill. The tail piece 8 of the inner latch casing 2 has opposed recesses ll having beveled faces I2 terminating in looking shoulders 59 (Figure 6). The outer casing i has fixed on the inside thereof a snap-on attaching means such as the hairpin spring it. By way of example, the spring i3 is secured to the inside of the outer casing l by roll- '0 ing back upon itself, as at it, one of the edges of the handle opening it in the casing l. The other end of the spring may be secured in the casing by the bent over lugs it.

In assemblying the latch to the outer face of the door the inner casing 2 with the associated spring actuated latch bolt 3 and operating handle 5 is secured in proper position upon the outer face of'the door if! by the screws 9;. Thereafter the latch handle 5 is swung to the position shown in Figure 3 thereby retracting the bolt 3 within the bolt casing 2 as shown. At this time the outer ornamental casing l is placed upon the inner casing 2, the handle 5 passing through the handle opening l5 in the casing 5. After the outer casing l is pressed down upon the inner casing 2 the inset locking portions I! of the hairpin spring l3 snap over the beveled tail portion l2 into engagement with locking shoulders l9, as shown in Figure 6, thus securely fastening the outer casing l upon the inner casing 2. At this time the handle 5 can be released and the spring bolt 3 will be projected outwardly through the opening I8 provided therefor in the outer casing I thereby swinging the handle 5 to the position shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 6 the beveled faces l2 of the tail portion 8 of the inner casing cooperate with the locking portion [1 of the hairpin spring l3 to cam or draw the outer casing I tightly into engagement with the outer face of the door II]. It will be noted, especially in Figure 1, that the outer casing I completely conceals the inner casing 2 and the'attaching screws 9. At the same time the hairpin spring l3 which holds the outer casing I upon the inner casing 2 is concealed. Hence, the integrity of the ornamental design of the latch is preserved and impairment thereof by the attaching screws completely eliminated. It is, of course, understood that the outer casing I may be plated, lacquered or otherwise finished if desired.

I claim:

'1. A latch comprising in combination an inner casing having a retractable bolt and latch handle, and a beveled tail portion, means passing through the inner casing for securing the same to its support, an outer casing having openings for the latch bolt and handle for concealing the inner casing and its attaching means, and a hair pin spring mounted interiorly of the outer casing, the outer casing having lug portions for securing the hairpin spring on the inside of the outer casing, the said hairpin spring engaging the beveled tail portion of the inner casing to secure the outer casing to the inner casing.

2. A latch having in combination an inner casing having a retractable bolt and a handle for retracting the bolt, means for securing the inner casing to a support, and an outer casing for concealing the inner casing and the inner casing attaching means having an opening for the bolt and the end of the inner casing and an opening for the latch handle, the said outer casing engaging over an end of the inner casing in the said bolt opening, and concealed resilient means mounted on the inside of the outer casing having a snap-on engagement with the other end of the inner casing whereby the resilient means cooper-.

ates with the engagement of the end of the inner V 

